Rear propulsion system with lateral air inlets for an aircraft with such system

Abstract

A propulsive system for an aircraft including an auxiliary jet engine is integrated within a tail cone of a fuselage. Lateral air intakes include each one a scoop movable between a closed position and an opened position are associated with aerodynamic channels to supply with air the auxiliary jet engine. The aerodynamic channels meet at a common channel including a movable flap to balance air flows coming from the air intakes when the operation is not symmetrical.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims priority to French Application No. 08 51344 filed on 29 Feb. 2008, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.BACKGROUND[0002]1. Field[0003]The disclosed embodiments generally relate to the field of aircraft powered by jet engines such as transport civil aircraft.[0004]More particularly the disclosed embodiments relate to an aircraft including at least an engine installed into the fuselage tail section in order to be used only in certain running phases of the aircraft on the ground or in flight.[0005]2. Brief Description of Related Developments[0006]For safety reasons and in order to fulfill the certification lawful requirements, the transport aircraft comprise two or several engines in order to survive to engine failure cases during the various flying, takeoff, cruising or approach and landing phases.[0007]While respecting the certification criteria and the operational constraints,...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The disclosed embodiments describe an aircraft design with a rear engine that can be used as an auxiliary propulsive engine and a power generation group. The design includes two lateral air intakes on the fuselage sides, each with a closure means to control air flow. The air intakes are connected to an aerodynamic channel that meets a back frame located in front of the engine. The design also includes a movable scoop and a flap to improve air flow conditions. The management system regulates the various parts based on the engine's operation and flying conditions. The invention allows for optimal engine size and reduces the impact of an auxiliary energy generation device on the aircraft's performance.

Problems solved by technology

While respecting the certification criteria and the operational constraints, the choice of the number and the characteristics of the engines is the result of compromises implying the desired, or required, performances of the aircraft in its various flying phases and in the various probable operating situations of the engines.

However, for industrial and operational reasons, the various engines of aircraft in commercial exploitation are of the same model which has advantages in the field of the engines maintenance but does not present necessarily an optimum in term of thrust balance, carried mass for the propulsion and aerodynamic drag.

A drawback of the APU systems comes from the mass that they represent and which must be permanently transported mainly for a ground use.

However, this solution was never been implemented on an aircraft and, except using relatively small engines closer to a conventional APU than to a propulsive engine, many problems of mechanical installation and aerodynamic integration arise which are not solved today, particularly an air supply of the APTU which cannot be satisfactorily provided in all of the flying configurations.

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